1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for displaying a screen in a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses into which functions such as copying, network printing, faxing, scanning, and a file server function are incorporated have attained widespread use. Such an image forming apparatus is generally called a “multifunction device” or a “Multi-Functional Peripheral (MFP)”.
Further, the image forming apparatuses have recently been equipped with display units having different sizes and resolution depending on the application, price, and so on thereof.
For a user, displaying a screen depending on the property of a display unit, e.g., the size of a display surface, is preferable. In view of this, the following method has been proposed.
A controller unit includes: an HDD for storing screen construction data; a determination part for detecting an alteration of an image forming apparatus, and on the basis of the detected alteration contents it is determined whether or not updating of the operation screen is necessary; a screen construction data acquisition part for acquiring from the HDD screen construction data corresponding to an operation screen after the updating; and a first communication part for transmitting the acquired screen construction data to a display unit. The display unit includes a display control part for displaying a first operation screen on a display part and a second communication part for receiving screen construction data. A creation part generates second operation screen data that is screen construction data of the second operation screen corresponding to an operation display part based on construction information; and a display control part updates the first operation screen to the second operation screen based on the second operation screen data. (English Abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-093777).
Meanwhile, in order to reduce the number of man-hours for developing an image forming apparatus, a possible method is to reduce the number of man-hours for developing screens to be displayed in a display unit.
According to the method described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-093777, common software can be used in image forming apparatuses with display units having different properties. This eliminates the need for developing different software for image forming apparatuses with display units having different properties. Not only that, but reduction in man-hours for development is further sought.